Our Existence
by DFM
Summary: What if Mulder, not Reyes, was with Scully in Existence?


Title: Our Existence

Author: Devin

Rating: PG-13

Category: SAR

Keywords: MSR, Angst, baby-fic

Spoilers: Essence and Existence are the main ones, there might be a few others sprinkled in.

Summary: What if Mulder, not Reyes, was with Scully in Existence?

Disclaimer: cries as CC and Fox glares at me Okay, okay... they're yours.

Author's Note: Written for GillyX29's Birth Scene Challenge on Nursery Files. Thanks to Heather for the beta and Aims for the idea for the location.

Fear coursed through my veins as I watched Billy Miles slowly and menacingly approach the car. He didn't have to hurry, we were trapped. Desperate for anything that might forestall him I reached behind me, groping at the door. "Mulder, lock your door."

He did as I asked but without hope. "I don't think that will help much, Scully."

Billy was close now. There wasn't even a glint of triumph in his lifeless eyes, which made it worse somehow. We weren't people to him; we were chess pieces that needed to be removed before one king could reign victorious.

And then something happened. With a final crunch of the poor soul behind our bumper we were free. The car sprang out of its spot and we sped off like an animal that has found its cage unlocked.

Billy just stood in the space we had occupied, watching us flee.

"That was…" but I couldn't find any words to describe the horror.

Mulder finished for me, "too easy."

I stared at him in disbelief. Easy? We had almost died... again. Nothing that happened in the last 15 minutes seemed easy.

"He's not following us," Mulder explained as he glanced in the rearview mirror again. "Like he'll find us whether we run or not."

We exchanged a look, sharing our fears and worries, and our strength, at the same time. I hadn't felt this in tune with Mulder since... before his return. I reached out a hand tentatively and he took it, interlacing our fingers. "Where are we going?" I whispered, it somehow seeming wrong to speak above one.

"Somewhere neither of us would think to go," he said as we approached two freeway entrances. "North or South?"

"South," I said after a moment's hesitation. He took the north entrance. I was confused momentarily but then I remembered his previous statement. We needed to go against our knee-jerk reactions.

"You should probably get some sleep; it's going to be a long drive."

I look at him for a moment, trying to ascertain whether he really didn't need me to stay awake or not. Satisfied, I tried to find a position the baby and I were comfortable in, a problem that had been harder and harder to solve since the beginning of my third trimester. "Wake me up if you need me."

"If I did that you'd never sleep," he teased lightly. I started to raise myself up to meet his eyes but he reached over to stop me. "Rest, Scully."

For the first time in a long time, in the most unlikely of circumstances, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

* * *

4 Hours Later

I woke with a start when I felt a feather-light stroke against my cheek.

"Scully, c'mon, wake up."

"Mmm," I groaned, trying to fight off sleep. "Where are we?"

"Middle of nowhere."

"Sounds good," I said with as much spirit as I could put behind it.

"Not quite nowhere enough I'm afraid. There's still a Starbucks."

"Ahh, the mark by which we judge a civilization, how much coffee they provide."

"Hey don't knock it. Anyway, we're stopping to switch cars."

"We're not going to steal a car."

He gave me quirky smile before saying in a mock-indignant tone, "Of course not! We're going to rent one... Laura."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Rob."

* * *

5 Hours later 

LaGrange, Indiana

Mulder and I looked around the small town we had just pulled into. If any place could qualify as the middle of nowhere this, quite possibly, was it.

"You think we'll be able to get a room?" Mulder joked as he nodded towards the sign that proudly proclaimed 'M&N B&B'. I gave him an amused smile and we began to walk, well I suppose I did more of the 'pregnant waddle', over to the B&B.

A girl who had the look of someone who didn't quite know how they got where they were, looked up obviously surprised to see anyone walking through the door. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, we'd like to get a room," Mulder told her with a winning smile and tugged me to him. I tried to smile convincingly but I'm not sure if I pulled it off or not.

"Of course," she said and pulled out a sign in book.

* * *

"Mulder, what are we doing here?" I asked, for what feels like the millionth time since we'd been partnered, but this time the answer seemed vital. Staring at the ceiling I continued, "it doesn't make sense. Why do they want my baby?"

I felt the mattress dip as he sat down next to me. "I, frankly don't know, Scully. And, to be honest, it's not my number one concern right now."

"So we're just going to keep running? How can we go back if they're after the baby? That's no way to raise a child. You know it and I know it."

"Scully, I will figure a way out for us to go home, but, for now... let's concentrate on this kid's birth," he placed his hand over the swell of my stomach. "We'll figure out how he's going to be raised later."

It wasn't lost on me that he used the word 'we' not 'you' and I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of my lips but didn't comment. "He, huh?"

He grinned. "Well until you care to divulge that little secret I'll be going with 'he' for now."

I looked down at my stomach. "Something tells me you won't have to wait long to find out."

I always did love Mulder's panic face.

* * *

"Scully, we've got to go. Now!" Mulder said when he burst into the room. He was so panicked that he obviously didn't notice why that would be impossible. "While I was out I saw Billy Miles, somehow he found us and I don't think he's alone anymore."

The pain dulled for just a second. "Mulder, I can't move," I tried to catch my breath to continue; "I've been having contractions since about 15 minutes after you left."

He shook his head, as if that would make it untrue.

For some reason this pissed me off. "Damn it, Mulder, I didn't schedule this!" I wanted to cry. Why couldn't even this be normal?

Mulder came over and sat down next me, stroking a piece of hair away from my forehead. "I know, Scully. I know."

He leaned down and spoke softly to the baby, "Kid, you have the worst timing."

Another contraction hit and I gritted out. "Gets. That. From. You."

Mulder looked at me, somewhat surprised but seemed to realize it so wasn't the time for that. "How much time do you have? Can we get somewhere else before-"

I shook my head but said, "Check dilation."

He nodded and tried to make me more comfortable, and possibley stall, before checking. "Shit. Uh... 9 centimeters?"

"Mulder…" I started to say, in what sounded like something between a plead and a whine.

"Okay. It's okay, Scully. I'm going to go get some water and... towels? Be right back."

I really hope Mulder remembered what we'd discussed, for a moment it sounded a lot like he was basing his answer completely on TV shows.

* * *

"Ahg!"

"It's okay, Scully."

"The hell it is!" I screamed. He just looked up at me. "I can't do this, Mulder." I was sobbing and I knew it but at this point I didn't even care. I have never felt this much pain in my life.

He got up from his position and hugged me to him, trying to do so in such a way that wouldn't cause any pain. "Yes, you can, Scully." I just shook my head, now buried in his shoulder. "Sweetie, listen to me. You can do this. You know why?" Again I shook my head. "Because you have wanted this for way too long to give up now. Not to mention he's probably as stubborn as you are so he's coming out whether you like it or not. It's best just to help him."

I met his eyes and after a deep breath nodded.

"Okay, on the next contraction, push."

"Ahg!"

* * *

"I see the head, Scully. Push."

"Okay, the shoulders next"

"Scully, you're almost done, I promise."

The next thing I heard was a loud cry of a newborn.

Oh, God.

Mulder was staring down at the little bundle in his arms. "God, Scully. He's perfect."

He stood up and brought the baby to me, gently placing him in my arms, but when he looked up I felt him stiffen which, in turn, made me glance away from the baby and towards what had caught his attention. We both stared at Billy Miles as stood in the doorway, my arms tightened around the baby, but he didn't step into the room. After a minute of none of us moving he nodded at us, turned and left.

That was it.

He was gone.

I looked at Mulder, confused. "Mulder... what-"

Mulder smiled and returned his glance to the baby. "I think he was expecting something else." He looked down at the baby one more time before saying, "We should get you two to the hospital. I'll be right back. I'm going to get the car."

"Mulder!" I called after his retreating form. "You know he's…" 'yours', the word was on the tip of my tongue. But Mulder knew, he always knew.

"I do. I wasn't always sure... but I do know." His expression looked turned sad. "I should have never doubted-"

"I know why you did. I'm sorry, I should have told…" but he didn't let me finish the sentence, he was by my side again in a flash.

"We were both in fear over the possibilities. The truth we both know."

"Which is what?" I breathed out.

He leaned down slowly and brushed his lips against mine. As I returned the embrace I thought, 'Yes, we do know. We finally know.'

The End

The Elements:  
+ Start in the car in 'Essence'  
+ Labor with Scully whining, Mulder talking to the unborn baby, and calling Scully sweetie or honey  
+ Mulder delivering the baby.


End file.
